Download SS 8-Ch 1 PPT The Mediterranean World

• The politically correct way to address a century
has been changed
• BC = BCE (Before Common Era)
• AD = CE (Common Era)
• We’ll use BOTH in this course so you get used
to the changes
REVIEW:
Roman Empire
• The Roman Empire lasted
over 1000 years! (from 625
BCE to 476 CE= 1101
years!
• And if one includes the
eastern Roman empire
which lasted until AD 1453
it would even be 2078
years !
• In comparison Canada has
only existed since 1867 –
just under 150 years.)
• The Roman Empire covered
huge areas of conquered
land. These were called
provinces and they paid
taxes to Rome
• When it was strong, the
Senate and the Emperor ran
the Empire
• The most peaceful years of
the Empire were called just
that, the PAX ROMANA.
• They lasted 200 years
between 14 BC to 180 AD
REVIEW:
Roman Empire
REVIEW:
Roman Empire
ROMAN
ACHIEVEMENTS
The Empire
• Naturally the most
obvious achievement
of the Romans was
their vast empire,
which spread over
three continents.
The Roman Army
• The Roman Legion was
perhaps the most
powerful army ever.
• Sure, they didn't have
airplanes, tanks and
battleships like today.
• But they were capable
of defeating armies far
larger than themselves,
despite being equipped
with the same basic
weapons: shields,
spears and swords.
REVIEW:
Roman Empire
REVIEW:
Roman Empire
Founding Fathers of many Cities
• All over the continent they
founded cities which still stand
today.
• London for example, was
founded by the Romans under
the name Londinium. The great
German city of Cologne is
Roman (Colonia Agrippina).
The great Builders of Old
• Aqueducts, roads, baths, walls,
theatres, temples, arches, cities,
palaces...
• They built a world from which
later peoples still benefited for a
long time to come.
• Some of their old roads & great
amphitheatres are even still in
use today.
Latin, the eternal
Language
• Latin was the language
of the army, governors
and office workers in
the provinces.
• Many languages
developed from it like
French, Italian,
Portuguese, RhaetoRomantsch (spoken in
the Canton Grison in
Switzerland), Rumanian,
Spanish.
REVIEW:
Roman Empire
REVIEW:
Roman Empire
Alphabet
• The Roman alphabet is
what most of us still use
today in the western
world.
• We have added a few
letters to it, like W, but it is
much still the same
alphabet used by the
Romans.
• Their numerals are not
any longer in every day
use. It is Arabic numbers
we use today. But for
inscriptions on public
buildings and some other
things Roman numerals
are still sometimes used.
The Twelve Tables and the
Justinian Code
• Roman law developed many of
the ideas of justice which we
today take for granted.
• They wrote them down their laws
on twelve plates made of bronze,
which became known as the
Twelve Tables.
• Later Emperor Justinian refined
many of the laws of the day and
collected them all into one work.
• This is known as the Justinian
Code and it was completed in
529 CE.
• These laws form the basis of all
today's justice systems in the
western world.
REVIEW:
Roman Empire
The FALL of the ROMAN EMPIRE
• Then, between 180
AD and 284 AD (100
years) the rulers of
Rome were no good.
• The citizens revolted
against its rulers.
There were many
wars and revolts.
The FALL of the ROMAN EMPIRE
• In 284 AD Diocletian
became emperor.
• He took away all of
the power from the
senators and made
himself the head
honcho.
The FALL of the ROMAN EMPIRE
• He also cut the empire
in half.
• While this saved the
Roman Empire from
immediate destruction,
many of its citizens lost
a lot of their rights and
freedoms.
The FALL of the ROMAN EMPIRE
• He made himself the
ruler of the eastern half
• He called it
CONSTANTINOPLE
• It stayed together until
1453 (1000 years longer
than the west!)
The FALL of the ROMAN EMPIRE
HOWEVER
• He put another ruler in
the western half
• It was still called the
Roman Empire and its
capital was Rome
• It was destroyed in 476
CE
WHY Rome Fell
• CONTAGIOUS
DISEASES killed
thousands
WHY Rome Fell
• Emperors took away
individual
FREEDOMS from
citizens
WHY Rome Fell
• TOO LARGE to
defend
WHY Rome Fell
• Use of SLAVES
made Romans LAZY
• SLAVES took away
JOBS
WHY Rome Fell
• Too much $$ spent on
entertainment/
LUXURIES
WHY Rome Fell
• GERMANic Attacks
WHY Rome Fell
• New RELIGIONS
Citizens put religion
before Empires
WHY Rome Fell
• TAXES turned
Romans against
Empire
HOW the Empire Fell
• Since the Pax Romana,
GERMAN tribes had
been a problem for the
Roman Empire.
• The German tribes
wanted the wealth,
land, and warmer
climate of the Roman
Empire.
HOW the Empire Fell
• However, when the
Roman Empire was
strong, they kept the
Germans out
• But when they were weak,
the German Tribes
entered and settled in the
borders of the Roman
Empire
HOW the Empire Fell
A few dates:
• In 378 AD the Romans
fought against the Visigoth
tribe and lost
• In 410 AD the Visigoths
captured Rome
• In 455 AD another German
tribe, the Vandals, captured
Rome and nearly destroyed
it (thus vandalism)
HOW the Empire Fell
• Then, in 476 AD another
German captured Rome,
and the Roman Empire
ceased to exist.
• German Tribes were called
BARBARIANS. While this
first meant “people who
speak an unfamiliar
language”, it would
eventually come to mean an
uncultured person (an
insult)
• The civilizations of Rome
and Greece were to be lost
for centuries after the
German tribes took over.
• Roads fell into serious
disrepair
• Cities decayed and were
deserted
• Few people could read or
write (usually only monks)
• Gang warfare was
common
AFTER the
FALL